Help. Hairy Blue!!!

[iratherfly]

I've been working on a raw lactic goat blue for almost 2 years now. Really difficult but I am getting there. It's an absolutely INSANE recipe. Got one aging right now. I think it will be the first one that is actually formulated correctly.  Lactic blues are difficult to do well!

[FRANCOIS]

I think I can count on one hand the number of lactic blues I've ever seen.  They are ridiculously time consuming to make and a nightmare to age.  When I had my own farmstead business I used to make a goat one sometimes but it's just about my least favorite cheese tomake, next to stretch curd cheese.

[Tomer1]

All the lactic blues Ive tried turned out with a bitter note.   likely too much moisture. You need to predrain the fool for a week! :)

[iratherfly]

True Fancois and Tomer! This is why it has taken me 2 years to figure this out.  I basically am making crottin-like curd. Salt it and crumble it after pre-draining. I wait 2-4 days in low moisture cool environment for it to show signs of mocasse so I know it is beginning to de-acidify and it's dry enough. I then seed it with the blue and toss it to form very light pressing with mechanical holes. I salt that cheese heavily to kill the geo and give it a week to form blue. I pierce as needed at this point and possibly pierce more in a couple of weeks if needed.  Foil when it looks right and then 2 more months minimum in very cold refrigeration (36°F). It only works if it is properly drained in the beginning. It's a strange little technique but it works.

[TAMARA]

Thanks guys for all your advice/support re my 'hairy blue' cheese, and i apologise for my long absence. Life got in the way of my cheese making!

Francois was correct - it was mucor and after flattening it down and more turning/aging, it produced quite a nice cheese.

I also appreciate the advice re salting blue cheese rather than brining. I have tried this out on several batches and my brined cheese never grows as much blue as the salted cheese... however i always worry about over salting so trying to find a balance.

Happy cheesemaking!

Regards, TAMARA

[Tomer1]

I then seed it with the blue and toss it

why are you tossing away such a lovely cheese?  ;D
Do you crumble it (as far as you can "crumble" a very soft lactic paste) and remould it?